


Good Goodbye

by STABrielle (Zyrielle)



Series: Metamorphosis [3]
Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Apologies, Forgiveness, HOW DO I TAG THROUGH MY TEARS
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 12:34:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20778650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zyrielle/pseuds/STABrielle
Summary: Post DMC5 endingDid everyone really think that there was no consequence to all that had happened?





	Good Goodbye

*

*

*

“To see a World in a Grain of Sand 

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, 

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 

And Eternity in an hour.” 

  
*

*

*

It is done. The Qlipoth roots have been severed and the human world is again safer place despite the demons because Nero was guarding it from the surface.

Dante and Vergil were squaring off yet once again for the tenth, fiftieth, or the hundredth time. No one was really keeping count.

_ It won’t be long now. _

"Score for Dante! I'm up one."

"Where did you learn to count? We're even."

"You know, I'm starting to think… this is never going to end."

"Maybe. We got plenty of time."

_ If only. _

Dante chuckles at that.

_ I won’t taint your final memories of me with weakness. _

The demons come and the swords are drawn again, only not at each other.

"Don't you dare say it!" He grits.

"JACKPOT" Dante shouts all too cheerfully. He has been smiling all this time.

It was nice seeing that genuine expression on that all too familiar face for a change.

Once the demons are gone, their swords meet again, playful this time. Just like they did back in their spacious garden, the air laden with the scent of roses.

The first fissure cracks open. He hears and feels his dry, brittle bones and flesh breaking through his clothes.

He tries to get up from the half kneeling stance, the Yamato supporting him in his right hand. Breathing becomes difficult, so does standing straight, consequences of muscles not knitting themselves back together.

_ I've been through worse. _

Clenching his teeth behind pursed lips, he adjusts his vest, making sure nothing shows. For once he is grateful that they are covered in demon blood. That should cover up his own for a while.

Each strike and parry deepens and spreads the cracks and it isn’t long until he feels it all the way to his back, arms and thighs. 

His movements become strained, breaths shortened, and it takes him longer each time to get up.

They flip and dance through the air. The devil sword Dante parries the Yamato and Vergil feels more than hears the crack that starts from his shoulder all the way to his elbow. He dodges but is a moment too slow and the broad sword's flat side meets his ribs. The entire left cage is shattered, and so is his spine.

Vergil tumbles gracelessly to the ground.

"That one's my win for sure." Dante declares.

"So it is." Vergil wheezes. He tries to position himself on a rock nearby, so his upper body is at least upright.

"You look like you could use a break Verge. Old age must be getting' to ya."

Dante walks closer and flops onto the ground, leaning on the same rock.

"It would seem that way little brother." Vergil leans his head on the rock, neck straining to support his position.

"Little brother? You haven't called me that since-"

Vergil turns his head and sees Dante's face, drained of color, jaw hanging in abject shock.

"That's like-V, he was falling apart. Why are you-" The younger twin's eyes were focused on his collar.

Vergil touches it, and finds small, eggshell pieces of himself, soft and disintegrating like ash. He then touches his neck. A crack ran from his jugular, all the way behind his ear and towards the front, crawling up from his chin to his lips.

_ Ah. It’s time. _

He smiles thinly as Dante kneels in front of him, worry and fear replacing the once carefree smile that Vergil was enjoying so much just a few moments earlier.

"How far is the damage? Show it to me. We need to get back so we can fix this-Does it hurt?" Dante's voice cracks, emotions showing through. His hands reach for Vergil's vest, but his older brother slaps them away.

"There is no way to fix this Dante. Going back to the surface would only speed up the process." Vergil's tone is steady. Acceptance keeps his face neutral as he wills his younger brother to understand.

"But you ate the fruit-that was supposed to-"

"It bought me more time, is all it was." Vergil says, his cold grey eyes firmly set on the green ones in front of him.

"This, this is… What's happening to you Verge? Tell me. Help me understand. Tell me how to make it better." And once again Dante is five years old, begging up at his brother with liquid frustration pooling his eyes and threatening to run down his cheeks.

_ Some things never change. _

"Mundus' parting gift. He made sure that I would never be able to survive past him, or at least not without committing genocide-"

"Mundus?! Goddamnit, will that fucking demon ever-" Dante bites back a sob and swallows thickly and continues.

"So that's why-" Dante looks at him, the expression on his face, conflicted, stricken.

"I wanted to live, Dante. For a little while longer, at least."

"Trish and I, we sealed Mundus away. We could get him back and-"

"There's no more time Dante. This is the price for eating the fruit of the Qlipoth. It is a great source of power, but also a potent poison. Only the continuous consumption of its fruit could have sustained me long enough to combat Mundus' complete corruption, but would also have ended me either way."

Dante looks around him, at the severed root that served as their arena. It was as big as a parking lot. He and Vergil hacked at it for what seemed like hours-

"You knew this, and yet you still- GODDAMNIT VERGIL WERE YOU EVER GOING TO TELL ME?!" Dante roars, tears leaving a clean track on his face.

"I'm telling you now Dante."

"You're telling me- ARGH!" The younger one screams, burying his eyes in his palms.

"How am I supposed-

Why would you?

You didn’t even give me a chance to-"

Dante's energy crackles in the air.

"I'm so-." Vergil says, but Dante raises his face and roughly grabs at his shoulders, pinning him to the rock. The movement causes a little shower of fragments, falling from his face and hair. 

"No! You don't get to apologize. You don't-

You don't get to come back to me just to leave me behind again!"

"You won't be alone. You never were. Nero-"

"You don't get to say that to me! Nero's your son! He needs you-

I NEED YOU. For fuck's sake Vergil. You can't le-" Dante chokes back another sob.

"You're upset." Vergil says, smile is wistful and a sting starts behind his own eyes. 

Dante glares up at him like he used to a long time ago: face red and scrunched up, making his wet green eyes stand out all the more.

The cracks cover the entirety of Vergil's face now, the skin around the lines taint his skin a familiar shade of purple.

"What can I do Vergil? Tell me what to do." He begs.

"Just, stay here with me, like this until it's over."

Dante whimpers an that.

"And when I'm gone, take the Yamato. Go home."

Dante can no longer stop the sobs that wrack his chest. He leans in an rests his forehead on Vergil's shoulder, wrapping his arms around his older brother's waist.

"And if I leave something behind-" Vergil stops and tries to swallow. It takes several tries.

Dante's arms wrap around him tighter. Vergil struggles but manages to lift an arm and place it around Dante's shoulders.

"If I do leave something behind, maybe you can turn me into something. Maybe something you can keep on you. But if you don't want a reminder of me-"

"Stupid older brother. Stupid Vergil. You're the absolute worst. You know that?" Dante sobs into his vest.

Vergil sighs, chest barely able to move anymore.

"I'm sorry Dante, for everything."

"You never needed to apologize, not to me, Vergil."

"Don't be upset Dante. I want this. I want this." Vergil's voice is soft, almost like a whisper.

"What about what I want brother?"

"What do you want?"

"I want you to stay."

"Foolish little brother." Vergil chuckles. 

He nuzzles Dante’s head as his brother holds him tighter still, and closes his eyes.

+

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**Author's Note:**

> This story has been on my mind for the past few months.
> 
> I finally got it down. 
> 
> I am not sorry. I broke myself writing this. 10/10 would do it again.
> 
> Not beta'd
> 
> And I was listening to One OK Rock's song of a similar title on loop while writing.


End file.
